The Italian food and wine culture represents for many countries a reference point and an example to follow – the ability to enhance the richness and diversity of the offer, the success of many Italian companies in reaching the farthest corners of the world with industrial products that are linked to tradition and the institutional promotion initiatives that are often taken as an example by other countries that intend to make their food traditions known.
This is why the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World always draws a lot of attention by the media wherever it takes place. Another reason is that the Italians have taught that with and through food one can talk about practically anything. “This year we will combine Italian cuisine with two themes that seem rather distant: cuisine and excellence, cuisine and solidarity, that is, food quality and the right to quality of life also through the nutrition of less fortunate people, especially children,” remarked the Italian Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Luca Gori, in his speech presenting the calendar of initiatives.
“In particular, we are very happy to continue the collaboration with UNHCR, CRPC and the Food Bank of Vojvodina not only to support the work of these organizations, but also to remind how the food and wine supply chain also offers many opportunities for social integration even for refugees or people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds,” he said. On the theme of excellence, the Veneto Region, as the event’s partner, thanks to ICE and VeronaFiere, will bring to Serbia some of the best of its wine production on the occasion of the Wine Vision of the Open Balkans Fair that starts on Thursday 16 while the previous evening there will be a Gala Dinner hosted by the Al Pioppeto restaurant from Romano D’Ezzelino (Vicenza) in the presence of the President of the Region, Luca Zaia.
The press conference in Belgrade at which the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World 2023 programme was presented
Education will play a central role in the SCIM 2023 programme in Serbia, thanks to chef and President of the Veronese Chefs’ Association, Mida Muzzolon, who will conduct master classes for students of the Visoka Hotelijerska Škola catering institution in Belgrade.
Special attention will be paid to solidarity as part of the Embassy with Open Arms programme. The collaboration with Save the Children Serbia and Goran Abramovic, winner of the World Pizzaiuoli Championship in 2022, will result in the event called “Che Pizza?!”, during which very young guests of the Svratiste and Prihvatilište care centres for minors will be able to prepare and taste real Italian pizza.
As for large retailers and e-commerce, with whom cooperation is crucial to counter the phenomenon of “Italian sounding,” the Aroma and Mercator supermarket chains in Belgrade and Novi Sad will present Italian Days from November 13-29, with a special offer of Italian food products, while the Shoppster website will launch the special “Made in Italy” campaign. Plus, in 12 Italian restaurants in Belgrade and Novi Sad, guests will be able to taste a menu dedicated to SCIM 2023. Furthermore, the Italian Cultural Institute will host two events dedicated to the relationship between design and cuisine. The first one, in collaboration with Confindustria Serbia, will be dedicated to the Italian coffee tradition with a seminar by Simone Pregnolato, Italianist and Casa Artusi expert, in addition to an exhibition of paintings made with coffee powder by Serbian artist Bojan Djordjevic, the display of Italian-designed coffee machines and espresso tastings.
The second event focuses on lighting technology in catering and will feature a seminar by lighting designer Filippo Cannata, in collaboration with the Italian-Serbian Chamber of Commerce. Finally, the latter will present the Made in Italy – Serbia Fair, with B2B meetings between Italian companies and local buyers in the food & beverage sector.
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